On the heights of Monte Tamaro, Ticino Merlot has found a new ambassador: the Swiss mountain bike champion. Philip Columbus it was in fact chosen as testimonial of the Quattromani 2023, the renowned wine born from the collaboration between four historic producers in the canton. The event, hosted at Ristorante Foppa, celebrated both the new vintage and the symbolic encounter between the strength of sport and the elegance of Ticino viticulture.
During the ceremony, Columbus had the honor of uncork the first bottle of Quattromani 2023, toasting with guests and local authorities. Among those present were the President of the Council of State Norman Gobbi, Councilor to the States Marco Chiesa, director Daniele Finzi Pasca, Ivan Trezzini di TicinoWine and world sommelier champion Paolo Basso, who led the tasting of the recently presented vintage.
Ticino Merlot as an ambassador of the territory
Born in 2000 from an idea of the journalist Albert Dell'Acqua, Quattromani project marked a fundamental stage in the valorization of the Ticino MerlotThe wine comes to life from the union of the best grapes from four wine-growing areas – Mendrisiotto, Lugano, Locarno and Three Valleys – and represents an example of winemaking excellence based on collaboration and sharing.
The producers Angelo Delea, Feliciano Gialdi, Claudio Tamborini and, originally, Guido Brivio they gave life to a label that over time has become a symbol of the Ticino winemaking in the worldThe Quattromani stands out for its structured elegance, spicy profile and long persistence, qualities that make it one of Switzerland's most representative Merlots.
Paolo Basso described the 2023 vintage as "one of the most successful in the history of this wine." A deep red in color with burgundy highlights, it expresses fruity and spicy notes, an enveloping body, and a balanced personality, a testament to a generous terroir and a high-quality winemaking tradition.
A wine festival with charitable purposes
As per tradition, the presentation of the new Quattromani Ticino Merlot it was also a moment of solidarity. During the evening, a check was delivered for 10.000 francs to the Ticino Winter Relief Foundation, chaired by Mark Church, who illustrated the aid project for people in difficulty.
With this donation, the total amount donated to charity by the producers' group exceeds 250.000 francs, distributed over the years to numerous associations and foundations such as Terres des Hommes, Ticino Cardiocenter, OTAF Foundation e Children with Heart Disease in the World Foundation.
A gesture that underscores how, beneath its winemaking excellence, Quattromani Ticino Merlot maintains a profoundly human spirit.
Ticino Merlot: Wine, Art, and Memory
The event at Monte Tamaro also had a moment of cultural reflection: the guests paid homage to the Church of the Angels by Mario Botta, on the centenary of the birth of Egidio Cattaneo, founder of Monte Tamaro SA and a visionary figure for the touristic and cultural development of the area.
In this mix of art, wine and sport, the celebration for Filippo Colombo took on the value of a collective celebration of the Ticino that unites: the one who pedals, who produces, who creates and who gives.
A legacy of excellent testimonials
From 2000 to today, the Quattromani has had illustrious godfathers who have represented the plural face of the Canton: from Pryanka Chopra, Miss World in 2000, a Fabian Cancellara, Ignazio Cassis a Daniele Finzi Pasca, up to the protagonists of the world of art, finance and sport.
With Philip Columbus, the project continues the tradition of choosing personalities capable of embodying the values of determination, passion and local roots —the same ones that make Ticino Merlot great on the international wine scene.
